"This marks the beginning of the first Hōgyoku evolution. I wonder how many times he can evolve this time—or whether the Hōgyoku's limit is truly five evolutions."
Gazing at Aizen—now entirely shrouded in a mysterious white substance, even his head enveloped—Daniel silently muttered to himself. The Extinction Masters, distracted by his own focus on Aizen, had failed to notice the full process of Aizen's resurrection.
In the original work, Aizen's Hōgyoku evolves through five distinct forms. Whether this cap of five represents an absolute limit or if Aizen was simply unable to achieve a sixth evolution due to his defeat at Ichigo's hands remains unclear.
Many theories have arisen regarding why Aizen cannot evolve further. Some speculate that the Hōgyoku's energy can only support five evolutions—even the power of the Soul King would not permit limitless evolution. Others believe that it was Ichigo's crescent-sliced Moonlight attack that shattered the Hōgyoku, halting further evolution. After all, that attack transcended dimensions. In battle, Ichigo has taken on many forms, but in Daniel's view, Ichigo in his later state—especially compared to the dual-wielding Ichigo facing Yhwach—must be stronger. This point has sparked many debates in past lives.
Yet Daniel noted that even after Aizen's fivefold Hōgyoku evolution, he did not seem to sense Ichigo's reiatsu at that time. The subsequent Ichigo could hardly be any stronger. After all, even if Aizen were sealed, merely releasing a fraction of the Hōgyoku's power would suffice to let Mirror Flower, Water Moon mildly influence Yhwach. This indicates that Yhwach's reiatsu did not completely mask itself from Aizen.
One who can perceive reiatsu versus one who cannot—the difference is clear as day. To Daniel, the later Ichigo, much like the night-kingly figure of the Shinigami, paralleled the likes of the King of the Shinigami; neither Aizen nor the likes of the Six Paths Ban bear the strength to withstand that blow. Their only recourse is resurrection—though Ichigo's side effects are far lower than those of the former.
Such a potent attack could very well destroy the Hōgyoku. In time, perhaps Aizen might either forgo the Hōgyoku or abandon it after failure.
Daniel was eager to observe how many evolutions Aizen and Yhwach's battle would force out of the Hōgyoku—this would provide invaluable insights into its true potential.
To Daniel, Aizen was formidable—but not so overpowering as to be insurmountable. Otherwise, Daniel would never have dared to openly cooperate with him. Aizen's strength came not only from his raw power but also from centuries of scheming and the unique abilities of his Zanpakutō. Daniel had originally assumed that Aizen would only begin his Hōgyoku evolution when facing one of Yhwach's four elite bodyguards; he hadn't expected the first evolution to occur so quickly.
After his resurrection, Aizen immediately struck down his foe—presumably recognizing the danger.
"Ahhh!"
While Daniel's heart raced, Aizen no longer merely probed the strength of a few opponents; instead, he unleashed a full-scale massacre.
Following his evolution, Aizen's power noticeably surged. His speed with Shunpo was so overwhelming that several members of the Star-Crossed Knight Order had no time to react—each one was swiftly dispatched with a single stroke.
"That is the power of Hōgyoku evolution," Daniel remarked slowly after Aizen had eliminated all his enemies.
"Not bad—I didn't expect the first level of evolution to kick in here. I underestimated the Extinction Masters earlier," Aizen commented, his gaze fixed on the corpse of the Extinction Master who had caused him to falter just moments ago.
"What just happened?" Daniel immediately inquired, curiosity piqued by that unexpected misstep. In a situation where a miscalculation seemed impossible, Daniel found himself intrigued.
"That man's ability is rather uncanny," Aizen explained candidly.
"Ah, so it was him. No wonder you stumbled, Aizen."
Upon hearing Aizen describe his opponent's ability, Daniel finally understood why Aizen had hesitated earlier—and he recognized the Extinction Master's type. Though he did not know his name, Daniel was familiar with the nature of his Sacred Script ability: an ability that, by monitoring the distribution and flow of spiritual particles, exploits any vulnerabilities in an opponent's reiatsu. This causes them to become paralyzed. Not only would even Aizen's later fivefold Hōgyoku evolutions be rendered incapacitated for several seconds, but in battle—even a few seconds of paralysis can prove fatal.
Alas, despite possessing such an ability, Aizen had simply eliminated that opponent.
"It seems he won't emerge until these foes are dealt with. Since you're not coming out, then I'll proceed in," Aizen declared.
Surveying the anxious Extinction Masters—who were jittery from Aizen's massacre—Aizen casually unsheathed his sword. With a single swing, a half-moon shaped blade of sword energy, stretching several dozen meters, swept away a group of Extinction Masters blocking the path. Then, with lightning-fast Shunpo, he surged forward, clearly intent on confronting Yhwach as soon as possible.
"Looks like he's growing impatient—but that only shifts their focus onto me," Daniel thought.
As Aizen's figure vanished into the distance, Daniel felt a twinge of exasperation. The Extinction Masters' animosity had been solely fixed on Aizen; now that he had left, there was no doubt that the remaining Extinction Masters would turn their wrath on Daniel.
Yet as the Extinction Masters prepared to strike him, Daniel couldn't help but admire their resolve. Despite the staggering gap in strength, not one of them retreated or fled.
Boom!
At that moment, a tremendous explosion rang out from ahead. Judging by the shift in reiatsu, Aizen had encountered a formidable foe—it seemed that the Star-Crossed Knight Order's elite had finally entered the fray.
Just as with the Thirteenths of the Gotei, even within the Star-Crossed Knight Order the differences in strength were vast. Although the Extinction Masters who had acted earlier were no pushovers, many among the Order were significantly stronger.
"I'm not to be trifled with either—Break Technique No. 91: Thousand-Hand Celestial Annihilation Cannon," Daniel declared.
As the nearby Extinction Masters readied their spiritual bows for attack, Daniel took the initiative. A volley of luminous orbs erupted from his left palm in rapid succession, their continuous explosions tossing the Extinction Masters into disarray.
"Little brother, do you know what love is?"
No sooner had the ordinary Extinction Masters finished their assault than a figure emerged from the shadows—a figure whose hands formed a heart shape in front of Daniel.
The "Shadow Domain" was a skill mastered by the Extinction Masters of the Invisible Empire. It was this ability that had allowed them to remain undetected in the Seireitei's shadows for so many years. Through the manipulation of shadows, an Extinction Master could perform movements akin to instantaneous teleportation.
This ability was not even recorded in the data of the living Ishida Uryūlong or the Extinction Masters on Tsunayashiro Tokinada's side.
"I certainly know—but you can let it go. Break Technique No. 90: Black Coffin," Daniel replied.
Seeing the newcomer's gesture, Daniel's expression froze for a moment. Then he activated his No. 90 Break Technique, enveloping the intruder in a shadow-formed Black Coffin.
Had the speaker been one of those alluring Extinction Masters, Daniel might have entertained a conversation on the topic—but instead, the speaker was a portly old man with a completely white beard (from his mouth upward), his teeth and head resembling that of a chubby hamster—a truly horrifying sight.
"Punish the enemy in the name of love—Kiss of Love," the old man declared. In doing so, he cupped his hands into a heart shape, and in an instant, a barrage of heart-shaped, bizarre substances shot toward Daniel.
"Binding Technique No. 81: Severing Void,"
A towering, transparent wall materialized before the heart-shaped projectiles, halting them in their tracks. The myriad heart shapes clung densely to the wall of Severing Void, coalescing into an even larger heart.
Such a surreal attack was one that Daniel was determined not to let hit him. Moreover, as another of Aizen's abilities—one of the ones that had earlier caused him to lose control—resounded, Daniel deduced the nature of these "flying kisses." Even though his Kyūten Kyōkoku could theoretically reflect them, he had no desire to risk contact with that strange heart-shaped material.
"Binding Technique No. 21: Crimson Smoke Escape,"
Before the enemy could launch another salvo, Daniel immediately released several Binding Techniques. In no time, the area within several dozen meters was shrouded in crimson smoke.
"Goodbye."
Using the cover of the crimson smoke, Daniel suddenly reappeared behind his foe. In a flash, his Zanpakutō sliced through the enemy's spiritual core, rendering the opponent unconscious and sealing him within a Devouring Pouch.
"With that, nearly half of the Star-Crossed Knight Order is down," Daniel observed. After dispatching the corpulent foe, he did not press his attack on the remaining Extinction Masters; instead, he quickly moved toward the direction of Aizen's battle.
The Invisible Empire's Extinction Masters were numerous. Daniel had come today primarily to confront Yhwach—not to annihilate the entire Invisible Empire.
"Three Aizens—a 2-on-1 scenario. Are these impostors from his end?"
When Daniel reached the battlefield near Aizen, he froze. In front of him, three figures bearing Aizen's likeness were locked in combat. This sight immediately reminded him of that imposter who had once deceived Captain Yamamoto on Yhwach's behalf.
"Surely Aizen wouldn't be initiating a second evolution here…"
Outnumbered and at a disadvantage, the trio of "Aizens" struggled. Had any of them employed the full power of their Zanpakutō abilities, they might have reversed the tide. Yet, inexplicably, Aizen continued to clash head-on with the two impostors.
The collision of three warriors sent sword energy slicing through the air, and the residual shock waves levelled nearby buildings.
"Hahaha, that scoundrel let them have it. Invaders—His Majesty is exceedingly displeased right now," one voice declared.
While Daniel watched Aizen's battle unfold, a colossal figure suddenly descended from above. A towering, bare-chested behemoth landed before Daniel, the impact creating a massive crater in the ground over several dozen meters.
"Who are you?" Daniel demanded in a low voice, eyeing the hulking man.
"I am Miracle—Miracle Gerard," the giant boomed. With his right fist charged with immense spiritual energy and an unyielding aura, he launched a powerful attack at Daniel.
"Miracle… the Heart of the Soul King? My luck truly is remarkable," Daniel mused.
Realizing his opponent was indeed Miracle, Daniel did not meet his punch head-on. Instead, he deftly Shunpo'd aside, landing squarely on Miracle's right fist. As the saying goes, "if you can stand on a fist, you can race on an arm"—a description that perfectly captured Miracle Gerard's massive limb.
Miracle was renowned for turning the impossible into the possible. Among Yhwach's four elite bodyguards, he was the most tenacious; even in death, he was known to return. Had it not been for Yhwach's sacred purge, Miracle might never have fallen.
"Miracle, your luck is truly unfortunate—I won't grant you the chance to witness another miracle," Daniel declared.
Miracle Gerard's ability was a nightmare for most. In the original tale, even Tōshirō Hitsugaya's Bankai—when combined with the might of Geng Mu Jianba and others—failed to completely vanquish Miracle. His power was simply too abnormal. But this time was different: Daniel's ability was precisely suited to counter Miracle's "miracle."
"I thought I was dealing with a big brother—turns out you're just a fool. Break Technique No. 90: Black Coffin," Daniel shouted before Miracle could strike. In an instant, Daniel's No. 90 Break Technique pierced through Miracle's body with shadowy blades. Though Miracle's body was drenched in blood, he showed no sign of conceding.
"Hahaha, is that all you've got?" Miracle Gerard wiped the blood from his body as he laughed. Yet even as he chuckled, his wounds began to visibly mend at a rapid pace.
"Perverse…" Daniel thought, dodging Miracle's follow-up attack. While Miracle's offense was undeniably powerful, his speed remained a glaring weakness.
"Trading injury for power… it appears I cannot continue my assault here. But this place is nearly done for—Binding Technique No. 21: Crimson Smoke Escape!"
After a brief chase, the two combatants soon reached a secluded area. Daniel then halted, his Zanpakutō gleaming with a dark, armored aura.
"Room: Slaughterhouse."
In a flash, the dark light burst in mid-air. Before Miracle Gerard could fully comprehend what was happening, his head was severed from his body. For someone as confident in his miraculous abilities as Miracle—who usually shrugged off any attack, believing that the more grievous his injuries, the stronger he'd become—this time, he had no chance to rely on his miracles.
"Now that I have the Heart of the Soul King in hand, I must say—this fellow seems perfectly suited to spar with the Hulk," Daniel quipped.
"Two of Yhwach's elite have now been taken care of," Daniel noted.
"Has Aizen evolved again? Did he just die once more?"
After Daniel dispatched Miracle Gerard and returned to Aizen's battleground, he found that Aizen's body looked entirely different. The head that had once been completely encased in that mysterious white substance was now fully exposed.
"Lethal dose—this fellow's luck is truly appalling. Evolved Hōgyoku Aizen isn't susceptible to toxins," Daniel mused.
After eliminating the transforming twins, Aizen then faced one of Yhwach's four elite bodyguards—Yaskinacruval. His Sacred Script "Lethal Dose" gave him a tremendous advantage over Shinigami and humans alike. Yet, both Kisuke Urahara and Aizen had unexpectedly clashed with him.
"Is Yhwach really just watching his subordinates die? Up to now, he hasn't taken action. Is it that he doesn't wish to strike, or is he unable to?" Daniel wondered as he tracked down the final bodyguard—the left arm of the Soul King.
(End of Chapter)
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